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- NEW SET
- A
- The nitrogen and sulfur brought back to the earth in acid deposition
- may be important in meeting the needs of plants in terrestrial
- ecosystems. In non-agricultural systems, forests and wetlands, both may
- be having an important positive impact on the growth of plants.
- next
- 1
- 1. Nitrogen and sulfur acid deposition may:
-
- A. offset the effect of acid rain
- B. be beneficial in some plant communities
- C. cause alienation between plant communities and terrestrial
- ecosystems
- D. harm forests and wetlands more than agricultural plant communities
- E. harm forests and wetlands more than agricultural terrestrial
- ecosystems
- next
- b
- 0
- B
- Correct.
- next
- wrong answer explanation
- B
- (B) Nitrogen and sulfur deposition may be beneficial in some plant
- communities.
- NEXT
- NEW SET
- B
- The consequences of acid rain on soils vary greatly depending on
- the type of soil, type of vegetation, and the rates of acid input. Soil
- acidification generally results in a less productive soil. However,
- acidification is a natural process in humid climates where rainfall
- exceeds evaporation and the contribution of acid rain to that process
- appears relatively small.
- next
- 1
- 1. This passage suggests that in humid climates:
-
- A. Acid rain has little effect.
- B. Acid rain is a natural process.
- C. Evaporation minimizes the contribution of acid rain.
- D. Evaporation exceeds acid rain.
- E. The type of vegetation depends on the amount of acid input.
- next
- a
- 0
- C
- Correct.
- next
- wrong answer explanation
- C
- (A) Humid climates are not much affected by acid rain.
- NEXT
- NEW SET
- C
- Acid deposition can increase leaching of exchangeable plant nutrients
- such as calcium and magnesium, reduce nitrification rates, and cause
- other changes in microbial processes near the surface. The greatest
- concern, however, is the mobilization of aluminum.
- next
- 1
- 1. This passage suggests that:
-
- A. Calcium and magnesium cause reduction in nitrification rates.
- B. Mobilization of aluminum is a microbial process near the surface.
- C. Leaching of exchangeable plant nutrients is undesirable.
- D. Acid deposition can decrease leaching of calcium and magnesium.
- E. Mobilization of aluminum can increase leaching of calcium and
- magnesium.
- next
- c
- 0
- D
- Correct.
- next
- wrong answer explanation
- D
- (C) Plants need nutrients; the leaching of these nutrients is
- undesirable.
- NEXT
- NEW SET
- D
- Most soil scientists agree that acid deposition will have little or
- no harmful effects on agricultural soils because the impact of cropping,
- fertilization, and liming practices will totally overshadow any effects
- of acid rain on the soil.
- next
- 1
- 1. Soil scientists agree that all of the following limit the effect of
- acid rain on agricultural soil except:
-
- A. lime
- B. fertilizer
- C. cropping
- D. plowing
- E. none of the above
- next
- d
- 0
- E
- Correct.
- next
- wrong answer explanation
- E
- (D) Lime, fertilization, and cropping limit the effect of acid rain
- on agricultural soil.
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- NEW SET
- E
- In natural ecosystems, however, where soil amendments and
- cultivation are not practiced, there is concern that soils which do
- not resist change (poorly buffered) -- such as extremely sandy soils --
- may be subtly affected over long periods of time, a matter of decades.
- next
- 1
- 1. By "soil amendments" the authors probably mean:
-
- A. the Bill of Rights as applied to pornography
- B. natural ecosystems affected by acid rain
- C. liming and fertilization
- D. forests and wetlands
- E. extremely sandy soil
- next
- c
- 0
- 2
- Correct.
- next
- wrong answer explanation
- 2
- (C) Amendment means improvement through change. Lime neutralizes
- acid soil and fertilizing improves soil nutrients.
- next
- 2
- 2. This passage and the prior one suggest that poorly buffered soils
- in natural ecosystems:
-
- A. resist change
- B. require soil amendments
- C. may be subtly changed by cultivation
- D. may be subtly affected over time by acid deposition
- E. are more likely to be affected in humid areas
- next
- d
- 0
- F
- Correct.
- next
- wrong answer explanation
- F
- (D) Poorly buffered soils may be subtly affected over long periods
- of time by acid deposition.
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- NEW SET
- F
- The natural resource which seems most at risk is the aquatic system,
- which lacks the buffering capacity (or resistance to change) of soil
- materials. Acid precipitation can change the acidity or alkalinity from
- conditions favorable for fish and other aquatic organisms to conditions
- that inhibit reproduction or growth of fish and fish food organisms.
- next
- 1
- 1. The passages suggest that acid rain is more dangerous to:
-
- A. agricultural soil than to water
- B. terrestrial ecosystems than to aquatic systems
- C. agricultural than to non-agricultural ecosystems
- D. non-agricultural ecosystems in humid climates than to aquatic
- systems
- E. aquatic systems than to terrestrial ecosystems
- next
- e
- 0
- G
- Correct.
- next
- wrong answer explanation
- G
- (E) Aquatic systems are more vulnerable to acid rain than are terrestrial
- systems.
- end